Tractive vehicle mounted bucket



April 25, 1961 K. E. NOFFSINGER 2,981,428

TRACTIVE VEHICLE MOUNTED BUCKET Original Filed Sept. 16. 1953 ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent TRA'CTIV E VEHICLE MOUNTED BUCKET Kenna E.Nofisinger, Red House, W. Va.

Original application Sept. 16, 1953, Ser. No. 380,498,

now Patent No. 2,815,138, dated Dec. 3, 1957. Divided and thisapplication Dec. 2, 1957, Ser. No. 703,723

3 Claims. (Cl. 214501) This invention relates to material handlingapparatus to be used in combination with a self-propelled tractivevehicle of either the wheeled or crawler type. More particularly thisinvention relates to material handling apparatus of the type including abucket or scoop positioned on a tractive vehicle through the agency ofarms.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Ser. No.380,498, filed September 16, 1953, now 11.3. Patent No. 2,815,138.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide materialhandling apparatus to be used in combination with a self-propelledtractive vehicle of either the wheeled or crawler type for earth moving,digging and handling or for loading and dumping other materials such assand, gravel, etc. The applications of the apparatus of the presentinvention are not limited to the materials specifically mentioned butinclude the moving, handling, digging and carrying of a variety ofmaterials.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus tobe used in combination with a selfpropelled tractive vehicle whichincludes a revolving bucket or scoop positioned with respect tothetractive vehicle by a pair of arms. By virtue of this uniqueconstruction, the apparatus can be combined with a relatively lighttractive vehicle and when so combined is capable of doing work whichheretofore could only be done by relatively larger and heavier tractivevehicles. The foregoing advantageous features of the present inventionare achieved since the digging action of the revolving bucket does notdepend entirely upon the pulling or pushing power of the tractivevehicle on which it is mounted, as is the case with prior constructions.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provideapparatus to be used in combination with a garden tractor wherein thebucket can be equipped with one, two, or more wheels, such as casterwheels, mounted on its bottom so that when in its upright position itcan be transported with great ease.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention, of which thereare many, will become readily apparent from a detailed consideration ofthe following descrip tion when taken in conjunction with the appendeddrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing a garden tractor providedwith the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view in top plan of the apparatus of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation showing the bucket mounting.

Although the transmission of rotary movement to the bucket is disclosedas being a chain drive, other transmissions can be employed. Thus, forexample, the rotation of the bucket can be eifected by a hydraulicmotor, hydraulic cylinder or cylinders, or other known mechanical meanssuch as chains, gears,.etc., or combinations of any of the above.

The present invention can be adapted to a small gar- 2,981,428 PatentedApr. 25, 1961 den-type tractor for the purpose of moving materials. Sucha structure is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. As will be appreciated,it-is not practical from a cost standpoint to provide a means to raisethe bucket since to do so would make the initial outlay on a gardentractor,

equipped with the present invention, so great as to take it beyondpractical limits. Accordingly, in lieu of means to raise the bucket, oneor more caster wheels can be mounted on the bottom of the bucket toserve as a transporting means. Thus, when the bucket is rotated to itsupright carrying position, the wheel or wheels will support the bucketand the whole can be rolled to a desired place for dumping or spreadingof the material carried at which time the bucket will again be rotatedto discharge the material. Referring more specifically to the drawings,a conventional garden-type tractor, designated generally by the numeral90, is shown in Figures 1 and 2. A take-off shaft 88 from the motor 89of the tractor extends to one side of the vehicle and is provided with asprocket 91. Similarly, a sprocket 92 is mounted on one side of a bucket93 by means of a stud or shaft 98 fixed normally to the side of thebucket 93. An endless chain 94 mechanically connects the pair ofsprockets 91 and 92. By means of this arrangement, a transmission iseffected between the prime mover of the tractor and the bucket 93. Ahousing 95 completely encloses this transmission and supports stud 98.On the other side of the vehicle, an arm 99 is provided having one endrigidly connected to the tractor and the end supporting a stud or shaftfixed to the side of bucket 93. Each of studs 98 and 100 is hearingsupported in housing 98 and arm 100 respectively.

As distinguished from other constructions referred to in US. Patent No.2,815,138, housing 95 and arm 99 do not function as pivoting arms. Acaster wheel 96 is mounted in the bottom of the bucket 93 by suitablebrackets 97. It will be noted from the drawing that the caster wheel 96is recessed in the bottom of the bucket 93. Since the bucket is not tobe lifted by the housing 95 and arm 99, it is not necessary to maintaina 1:1 sprocket ratio, and as shown in the drawings, it is possible touse a reducing ratio.

Although the description has been with reference to life size tractorsand the like, it will be appreciated that it is within the purview ofthe present invention to include any structures which embody theteachings contained herein without regard to size. Thus, the presentinvention is intended to cover scale models and toys, in addition tolife size tractive vehicles.

The invention has been shown and described in detail, but variousmodifications in the construction, in arrangement of parts, and in theoperation may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a self-propelled tractive vehicle having a frameand a pair of Wheels mounted on opposite ends of a shaft extendingthrough said frame, a material handling receptacle having cutting edgesat opposite sides thereof, a pair of receptacle positioning armsseparately and immovably attached at their inner ends to the frame ofthe vehicle and separately pivoted at their outer ends to saidreceptacle, means adapted to rotate said receptacle in both a clockwiseand counterclockwise direction, and a caster wheel mounted on the bottomof said receptacle in a fashion that said receptacle can be filled withearth, rotated to an upright position with said caster wheel in rollingcontact with the ground and thereafter said tractive vehicle can bemoved forwards or backwards with said receptacle supported on saidwheel.

2. In combination with a self-propelled two-wheeled tractive vehicle, apair of parallel arms secured immovably to the opposite sides of saidvehicle and extending forwardly therefrom in a substantially horizontaldirection, an open-ended receptacle pivotally supported between theouter ends of said arms for rotation on a horizontal axis transverse tosaid vehicle, said receptacle-having cutting edges at the opposite sidesof its open end substantially parallel with the rotational axis of saidreceptacle, a caster wheel supported from the lower closed end of saidreceptacle, and means for rotating said receptacle on itsrotational axisin both clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

3. In combination with a self-propelled two-wheeled tractive vehiclehaving a frame, a prime mover mounted on said frame and a single pair ofwheels mounted on the opposite ends of a shaft extending through theopposite sides of said frame; a pair of parallel arms secured immovablyto the opposite sides of said frame and extending forwardly therefrom ina substantially horizontal direction, an open-ended receptacle pivotallysupported between the outer ends of said arms for rotation on ahorizontal axis transverse to said vehicle, said receptacle havingcutting edges at the opposite sides of its open end substantiallyparallel with the rotational axis of said receptacle, a caster wheelsupported from the lower closed end of said receptacle, and meansoperatively connected between said receptacle and said prime mover forrotating said receptacle on its rotational axis in both clockwise andcounterclockwise directions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,359,841 Russell Nov. 23, 1920 1,974,099 Berney Sept. 18, 19342,347,314 Drol-l Apr. 25, 1944 2,537,010 Anderson Jan. 9, 1951 2,545,074Dielschneider Mar. 13, 1951 2,636,627 Stoker Apr. 28, 1953

